The present invention relates to a detachable/disposable face shield for the protection of the eyes and face of wearers from accidental exposure to infectious, hazardous and undesirable substances. More particulate, the invention relates to anti-infection shields for the protection of health care workers and professionals and laboratory personnel from accidental exposure to infectious and/or hazardous fluids and particulate materials.
Health care workers have long recognized that caring for patients with certain infectious diseases poses risk of contracting such diseases. For example, many cases have been reported of accidental transmission of Hepatitis B from patients to persons involved in their care. More recently, the life threatening epidemic of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) caused by Human Immuno Deficiency Virus (HIV) has aroused great concern. Although the bulk of cases of patients to health care worker cross infection have resulted from accidental needle sticks, medical office, hospital, surgical, dental and laboratory personnel are now required to use extreme care in the handling of all patients and body fluids as potentially infected with HIV and other pathogens. Particular attention has been directed to the risk to surgeons and operating personnel of infection through splashing or splattering of blood or other body fluids onto open wounds, into mouths or into the eyes of such personnel during the performance of surgical procedures.
The United States Centers for Disease Control of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has issued a comprehensive series of recommendations for the prevention of all HIV transmission in health care settings and such recommendations are applicable to the risk of exposure to all infected body fluids. These recommendations show an increasing concern for protection of the eyes (particular conjunctiva) if aerosolization or splashing of blood or other fluids is likely to occur. Thus, according to the Centers for Disease Control, eye shields should be worn by medical personnel and laboratory workers to prevent blood and other body fluids from splattering into the eyes. An effective eye shield must protect the eyes no matter which direction the wearer faces. Ordinary eyeglasses are not sufficient protection.
Although a number of protective face shields are known in the medical and dental professions, such shields either do not have a means for attaching to a standard, unmodified surgical mask, or the surgical mask is permanently affixed to the face shield.
These shields are undesirable, because a mask is generally required and if the mask becomes contaminated with infectious fluids, both the mask and the shield must be thrown away.
There is a need for a disposable, detachable face shield for attachment to a standard unmodified surgical mask, so that the shield may be removed from a contaminated mask and the mask disposed of while reusing the shield by attachment to a fresh mask. The shield must be attachable to a standard surgical mask without any modifications to the mask, in order to take advantage of existing surgical masks and not require the worker to purchase a special mask in order to use the shield.